This invention relates generally to oral hygiene devices and more particularly to dental floss holders adapted to retain a span of dental floss in tensioned fashion for the removal of plaque and food particles lodged between the teeth.
Plaque has become increasingly recognized as one of the major causes of dental and gum deterioration. Plaque is a soft, sticky, colorless film of bacteria constantly forming on the teeth and along the gum line. It is a combination of sugar and other carbohydrates which combines to form acids which attack tooth enamel and can even cause tooth cavities. Plaque can also lead to inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) which is identified by swollen, bleeding gums. Gingivitis can lead to periodontitis and receding of the gums and, ultimatly bone deterioration.
Minerals in saliva combine with plaque at the tooth surface and harden into a rough, insightly deposit called calculus or tarter. Calculus formations provide a coarse surface to which more plaque may adhere, accelerating plaque growth. Once calculus has formed, it generally is only removable through professional dental prophylaxis.
In addition to regular tooth brushing, flossing between and around the teeth and gums is a generally accepted and widely recommended procedure. Dental floss is a string-like waxed or unwaxed material which usually comes in rolls or spools. Flossing is especially effective in removing plaque and food debris in hard-to-reach areas and slightly under the gumline. Flossing involves breaking through the interproximal contact points where plaque and stringy food are trapped and also between adjacent teeth.
An early and well known mode of forcing the tensioned dental floss between and around teeth and gums is to wrap a length around the end of one finger of each hand. This procedure is cumbersome and wastes considerable amounts of dental floss material.
A number of devices are known to applicant which, in the past, have been provided to supposedly assist the user in dental flossing between teeth. One such early device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,749 to Gjerde which provides a slidable rachet means along the handle for tensioning the floss spanned between opposing forked members. Another such floss holder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,392 to Thomas. This device provides a groove at the base of the forked members for retaining the floss once tensioned. Two designs for such floss holders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 240,831 and 244,541. A multi-spanned dental flossing device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,184.
For various reasons of impracticality, less than adequately adapted structure for convenient and effective use, or inadequate floss tensioning means or retention, none of the prior art above cited has met with commercial acceptance. One particular shortcoming of many of these devices is that, in the process of dental flossing, the user must exert vigorous lateral forces on the span of floss in virtually all directions in relation to the supporting and retaining structure for the length of floss. This, many times leads either disengagement or loosening of the dental floss.
The present invention provides a simple, yet highly effective integrally molded dental floss holder which includes structure which will retain a very short length of dental floss material in a locked relationship spanning between opposing fork members which may be then manipulated in any direction during the flossing operation. The forked members have a unique wishbone-shape which is intended is provide just sufficient clearance to span and straddle the user's teeth but will minimize the size and mass of the structure which is inserted into the user's mouth. This wishbone structure is also adapted to be resiliently hand-compressed during floss installation to increase tensioning of the floss for use when released.